i cut my hair last night - on a completely (pun intended) wild hair. i originally planned to wait until i reach my next weight-loss goal, but i knew i'd be more comfortable this summer if i had it thinned and chopped.
but there seemed to be a level of miscommunication between myself at the student hairdresser. (yes, i couldn't justify a $60 haircut, so i went to the local academy, knowing that every student is under the watchful eye of his/her instructor.)
i can count on one hand the number of times in my life that i've had hair this short. let's see... when i was a baby... and right after i graduated high school.
technically, i wanted it short - it's just shorter than i actually imagined. and i reminded her that my hair curls a bit naturally, so that when it dries, it would be even shorter. but it's still very short.
so, i left, feeling like it was ok. i mostly liked it. it felt great for my hair to be light and bouncy, not thick and heavy. i went to the drugstore to buy more magic-curl-coaxing-elixir and some just-in-case barrettes, and headed home. it was at home that i decided i didn't like it anymore. it was too short to scrunch. i missed my length. i missed the curl. i cried all over matt, texted my mom, then got into the shower.
this morning, after having washed out all of the styling, and restyled it with my tried and true products, i like it much better. it's still very, very short. but i like it. (and it's curly.)
and, what the heck, it only cost me $5.95.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
money.
that's what's on my mind today. budgets. debt. bills. goals. retirement. houses. babies. money. yeah, that's about it, i'm afraid. but we're focused, and motivated, and goal-oriented.
and i figured out that in one month, if we were sticking to our budget we would spend the same amount on four nights of eating out as we would on two whole weeks' worth of groceries. but we're *not* sticking to our budget. in the average month, i'd say we spend two to three times what we have 'budgeted' for dining out. killer, huh?
so if that's not motivating - i don't know what is. motivating me to cook more. to make sure the kitchen gets cleaned up after dinner so that cooking the next day won't feel like a chore. to slow down and enjoy our meals together.
it's also motivating me to quit fooling around and cancel that stupid gym membership. (i know - you're thinking - how could i possibly when i'm trying to lose weight? another day, another blog entry i'm afraid.) and to find other ways that we can creatively save and make money. and above all, to seek the Lord's guidance. sometimes, that's the hardest thing of all because in our own human selfishness, we don't want to admit that what we want so badly (ahem, new shoes, new clothes, new scrapbook goodies) may not be the best use of our resources.
so that's my tuesday. not much to say about the weekend - got to do a portfolio-building shoot with my best girlfriend on saturday, but i'm being super lazy about proofing. i'll post a few if/when i get around to finishing them. took a really hard fall during a game in kids' church - i tend to forget that those at 5'7" fall further than those at 3'8". thought i'd fractured something - so relieved that i did not; but i'm paying for it still, two days later. monday was so unbelievably relaxing that i - for the first time in a long time - felt bored. crazy.
back to the normal now.
and i figured out that in one month, if we were sticking to our budget we would spend the same amount on four nights of eating out as we would on two whole weeks' worth of groceries. but we're *not* sticking to our budget. in the average month, i'd say we spend two to three times what we have 'budgeted' for dining out. killer, huh?
so if that's not motivating - i don't know what is. motivating me to cook more. to make sure the kitchen gets cleaned up after dinner so that cooking the next day won't feel like a chore. to slow down and enjoy our meals together.
it's also motivating me to quit fooling around and cancel that stupid gym membership. (i know - you're thinking - how could i possibly when i'm trying to lose weight? another day, another blog entry i'm afraid.) and to find other ways that we can creatively save and make money. and above all, to seek the Lord's guidance. sometimes, that's the hardest thing of all because in our own human selfishness, we don't want to admit that what we want so badly (ahem, new shoes, new clothes, new scrapbook goodies) may not be the best use of our resources.
so that's my tuesday. not much to say about the weekend - got to do a portfolio-building shoot with my best girlfriend on saturday, but i'm being super lazy about proofing. i'll post a few if/when i get around to finishing them. took a really hard fall during a game in kids' church - i tend to forget that those at 5'7" fall further than those at 3'8". thought i'd fractured something - so relieved that i did not; but i'm paying for it still, two days later. monday was so unbelievably relaxing that i - for the first time in a long time - felt bored. crazy.
back to the normal now.
Friday, May 26, 2006
it is my nature to obsess. (you should've known me when i was single and dating. yuck. how my friends put up with me, i'll never know.) anyway, i have a tendancy to obsess over anything and everything.
the scale is my most recent point of obsession. at the beginning of my new program, the weight came off relatively quickly, so i was on the scale every couple of days just to see if anything's changed. but now that the needle on the scale is slowing down (and/or not moving) i can't keep doing this to myself. so i guess i have to choose just one day a week, and leave the scale alone until that day. i'm afraid i'll make myself crazy otherwise!
i've also figured out that i'm not eating enough during the day. this either leaves me *way* under my calorie range at the end of the day, which i fear will send my body into starvation mode, or forces me to have a decently gluttonous meal at dinnertime, which isn't really healthy at all. i picked my mom's brain yesterday for some ideas. we decided that i needed more protein during the day, and a little more fat. she suggested, for starters, that my usual english muffin breakfast should include some protein. this morning, i had melted cheese over it. wow. it felt awfully decadent for "diet food". but man, was it good.
we're going to a birthday party for a friend tonight at a not-especially-healthy restaurant. this is where my obsessive nature comes in handy: i've already read the menu, studied the nutrition facts, decided on my entree, and recorded it in my food journal to make sure i have the calories for it. and all before my mid-morning snack.
ok, off to lunch. later i'll tell you about yesterday's bus-ride from hell.
the scale is my most recent point of obsession. at the beginning of my new program, the weight came off relatively quickly, so i was on the scale every couple of days just to see if anything's changed. but now that the needle on the scale is slowing down (and/or not moving) i can't keep doing this to myself. so i guess i have to choose just one day a week, and leave the scale alone until that day. i'm afraid i'll make myself crazy otherwise!
i've also figured out that i'm not eating enough during the day. this either leaves me *way* under my calorie range at the end of the day, which i fear will send my body into starvation mode, or forces me to have a decently gluttonous meal at dinnertime, which isn't really healthy at all. i picked my mom's brain yesterday for some ideas. we decided that i needed more protein during the day, and a little more fat. she suggested, for starters, that my usual english muffin breakfast should include some protein. this morning, i had melted cheese over it. wow. it felt awfully decadent for "diet food". but man, was it good.
we're going to a birthday party for a friend tonight at a not-especially-healthy restaurant. this is where my obsessive nature comes in handy: i've already read the menu, studied the nutrition facts, decided on my entree, and recorded it in my food journal to make sure i have the calories for it. and all before my mid-morning snack.
ok, off to lunch. later i'll tell you about yesterday's bus-ride from hell.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
all i have are...
37 somewhat decent pictures of kassidy eating cake
7 pictures of kassidy, post-cake-cleanup, in her cute new outfit courtesy of auntie kate and uncle matt
4 pictures of kassidy and grama playing outside
1 picture of kassidy and mama playing
20 pictures of david and cousin jillian playing outside
that's all i could salvage from kassidy's birthday. i'm still so sad. i proofed these photos last night on the couch, in front of LOST, and still felt miserable about it. i hated it. because all i could think of was "you freaking idiot - you sacrificed some really great photos because you were in such a hurry that you didn't check the disk." still so sad.
i've had this think for flamingos for a couple of years now... it started with a stamp set from Stampin' Up!, mostly because all of the samples were in pink (my favorite color). i guess it stuck, because to this day - i love pink flamingos. so, when i was shopping for a gift for kassidy, i saw this shirt:
it's not very obvious, but the leaves on the tree, and the body of the flamingo are fringie (is that a word?). it was all i could do to resist asking the clerk if it was available in my size. (available at target, for inquiring minds.)
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
today, i notice...
...the shirt i'm wearing fits better than it has in a year and a half.
...there are nearly two inches missing from my waist, and another missing from that awkward "curve" above my waist (can't say goodbye to that thing fast enough).
...my skin feels softer, cleaner, even though i haven't changed anything about my daily facial care routine (or lack thereof).
...my bra even looks a bit 'baggy'. can't complain there.
...the scale hasn't moved in a few days, but that's okay with me because the last four comments still make it worth it.
...there are nearly two inches missing from my waist, and another missing from that awkward "curve" above my waist (can't say goodbye to that thing fast enough).
...my skin feels softer, cleaner, even though i haven't changed anything about my daily facial care routine (or lack thereof).
...my bra even looks a bit 'baggy'. can't complain there.
...the scale hasn't moved in a few days, but that's okay with me because the last four comments still make it worth it.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
so. yesterday, i mentioned that i took a load of pictures at my neice's birthday on saturday. in fact, i took 348 pictures. yesterday, i brought the disc on which i'd burned the proofed photos - to get them off of my unforgivingly-small harddrive - to work so that i could upload a few for ordering, post a few here for showing off, and most importantly, mail a disc to the child's mother.
i slipped the disc into my machine at work, only to find out that it didn't contain my pictures - it contained data i'd burned the day before... but this disc was labeled as the pictures. i wrote it off in my mind, knowing that i had two backups at home - one of the originals, one of the proofed files (and otherwise feeling very glad that i didn't blindly mail this disc of software backups to my sister-in-law).
so i get home last night, and slip THOSE discs into my machine, only to find that the same exact thing has happened with those. they have software installation files on them - not pictures of my neice's only first birthday.
i begin to panic a little. i check my recycle bin, praying that i didn't empty it. no first-birthday pictures. i search my hard drive. no first-birthday pictures. i begin to cry. matt comes to the rescue (as much as he can in that situation) and asks if they're still on my camera... no, because i erased them sunday before the shoot i did.
and then i had a flash back... standing in the living room of the family i photographed, waiting for the camera to erase the CF card, accidentally hitting the shutter button and noticing the screen go from 'busy' to normal - as if i'd interrupted the deleting process. then i remembered that when i got home, LOTS of the pictures from the party were still on the card. i hooked my camera up, and called my sister-in-law to tell her what happened.
i was hysterical. she thought something truly horrible and life altering had happened i'm sure (especially since our family is already in the midst of another drama). but as i got out, in tears, what had happened, she was unbelievably patient and understanding and calm. i apologized all over, and told her that of the 348 photos, i still had about 150, and that when i was done proofing, that might be about 60 photos, most of which were kassidy-with-cake. she said that was still perfectly acceptable and she'd be glad to have those.
so, i lost my favorites. a fabulous photo of the cake with the lit candle that was so technically correct, with popping-colors and everything, that i should've blown it up and framed it. i lost the sweet photos of kassidy hugging the life out of the little fuzzy teddy-bear we included with her present, and stuffing her shiny new shirt (also from us) up to her face. i lost the clear, tack-sharp-focused photo of kassidy and nikki leaning over the cake to blow out the candles. i lost the photos of the guests singing happy birthday and of kassidy unwrapping her presents. total heartache for me.
ironically - and i shared this with nikki too - something similar happened on my first birthday. my dad - also an avid and very capable photographer - loaded his 35mm camera with film, and proceeded to snap away as i enjoyed my big day, only to find out later that the film hadn't properly caught on the spool, and had never advanced with each turn of the wheel. we have one photo from my 1st birthday - which my grandmother took as i opened a gift from her. he's always regretted that, and it's not like it put me in years of therapy or anything, but i hate that i've deprived nikki and kassidy of the documentation that i subconsciously promise them when my camera is out and firing.
so that's where we are. i'm so bummed. if i talk about it too much, i start to cry again. this is more motivation to upgrade my software and get my external harddrive running (not to mention: be smarter about checking the discs i burn before i delete anything).
i slipped the disc into my machine at work, only to find out that it didn't contain my pictures - it contained data i'd burned the day before... but this disc was labeled as the pictures. i wrote it off in my mind, knowing that i had two backups at home - one of the originals, one of the proofed files (and otherwise feeling very glad that i didn't blindly mail this disc of software backups to my sister-in-law).
so i get home last night, and slip THOSE discs into my machine, only to find that the same exact thing has happened with those. they have software installation files on them - not pictures of my neice's only first birthday.
i begin to panic a little. i check my recycle bin, praying that i didn't empty it. no first-birthday pictures. i search my hard drive. no first-birthday pictures. i begin to cry. matt comes to the rescue (as much as he can in that situation) and asks if they're still on my camera... no, because i erased them sunday before the shoot i did.
and then i had a flash back... standing in the living room of the family i photographed, waiting for the camera to erase the CF card, accidentally hitting the shutter button and noticing the screen go from 'busy' to normal - as if i'd interrupted the deleting process. then i remembered that when i got home, LOTS of the pictures from the party were still on the card. i hooked my camera up, and called my sister-in-law to tell her what happened.
i was hysterical. she thought something truly horrible and life altering had happened i'm sure (especially since our family is already in the midst of another drama). but as i got out, in tears, what had happened, she was unbelievably patient and understanding and calm. i apologized all over, and told her that of the 348 photos, i still had about 150, and that when i was done proofing, that might be about 60 photos, most of which were kassidy-with-cake. she said that was still perfectly acceptable and she'd be glad to have those.
so, i lost my favorites. a fabulous photo of the cake with the lit candle that was so technically correct, with popping-colors and everything, that i should've blown it up and framed it. i lost the sweet photos of kassidy hugging the life out of the little fuzzy teddy-bear we included with her present, and stuffing her shiny new shirt (also from us) up to her face. i lost the clear, tack-sharp-focused photo of kassidy and nikki leaning over the cake to blow out the candles. i lost the photos of the guests singing happy birthday and of kassidy unwrapping her presents. total heartache for me.
ironically - and i shared this with nikki too - something similar happened on my first birthday. my dad - also an avid and very capable photographer - loaded his 35mm camera with film, and proceeded to snap away as i enjoyed my big day, only to find out later that the film hadn't properly caught on the spool, and had never advanced with each turn of the wheel. we have one photo from my 1st birthday - which my grandmother took as i opened a gift from her. he's always regretted that, and it's not like it put me in years of therapy or anything, but i hate that i've deprived nikki and kassidy of the documentation that i subconsciously promise them when my camera is out and firing.
so that's where we are. i'm so bummed. if i talk about it too much, i start to cry again. this is more motivation to upgrade my software and get my external harddrive running (not to mention: be smarter about checking the discs i burn before i delete anything).
Monday, May 22, 2006
such a great weekend. nearly perfect. saturday, i went to our neice's first birthday party and filled up my 1 GB memory card. proofing them was so much fun - and i'm seeing my accuracy improving. practice pays off - and that feels good. i'll post a few tomorrow.
sunday, after church, i took pictures of a little family - i work with dad. too sweet. i'll post some of those later too.
also included was the usual grocery shopping, cooking and a little scrapbooking, along with the not-so-usual heavy cleaning, which ended with me on hands and knees, scrubbing grout with a toothbrush. i love bleach.
and my bestest buddy comes home today - so excited to see her. will be celebrating her birthday with her on wednesday. i love birthdays. :)
oh, and i've lost 23.5 lbs. i exceeded my first goal (21 lbs) by over a week and a half. cool, huh? so, next goal is another 20 lbs (well, 17.5 lbs, really) - which is my "when we met" weight. ('we' being matt & i.)
sunday, after church, i took pictures of a little family - i work with dad. too sweet. i'll post some of those later too.
also included was the usual grocery shopping, cooking and a little scrapbooking, along with the not-so-usual heavy cleaning, which ended with me on hands and knees, scrubbing grout with a toothbrush. i love bleach.
and my bestest buddy comes home today - so excited to see her. will be celebrating her birthday with her on wednesday. i love birthdays. :)
oh, and i've lost 23.5 lbs. i exceeded my first goal (21 lbs) by over a week and a half. cool, huh? so, next goal is another 20 lbs (well, 17.5 lbs, really) - which is my "when we met" weight. ('we' being matt & i.)
Friday, May 19, 2006
before the weekend starts...
i forgot to mention something SO important yesterday... my itsy-bitsy neice turned a whole year old yesterday. i'm so amazed. part of me can't believe it's been a year - because that's how life goes. but the rest of me feels like it's been more than a year - because i feel like i've known her forever, and i can hardly remember what it was like before she was around!
tomorrow, we'll celebrate her happy year, and the many years to come. can't wait.
on sunday, i get to do my very first baby shoot, and for a coworker - not family. i'm so incredibly nervous. and so incredibly excited.
i see a lot of photo proofing in my near future.
remember my "off the wagon" dreams? i'm now having the exact opposite: super-motivating-success dreams. (or at least that's what i'm calling them.) last night, i dreamt that i exceeded my goal of 21 pounds by the 31st by two whole pounds. and that got me all excited, and wondering if i could potentially be at 23 pounds by the 31st...
i guess when the "nightmares" stop and the good dreams begin, that's a breakthrough, eh?
tomorrow, we'll celebrate her happy year, and the many years to come. can't wait.
on sunday, i get to do my very first baby shoot, and for a coworker - not family. i'm so incredibly nervous. and so incredibly excited.
i see a lot of photo proofing in my near future.
remember my "off the wagon" dreams? i'm now having the exact opposite: super-motivating-success dreams. (or at least that's what i'm calling them.) last night, i dreamt that i exceeded my goal of 21 pounds by the 31st by two whole pounds. and that got me all excited, and wondering if i could potentially be at 23 pounds by the 31st...
i guess when the "nightmares" stop and the good dreams begin, that's a breakthrough, eh?
Thursday, May 18, 2006
the power of positive thinking...
"whether you think you can or think you can't - you're right."
i've long been aware of the benefits of positive thinking. truly believing in yourself, having confidence, and keeping a good attitude are crucial. no one was ever pushed into succeeding at anything - you have to want it for yourself, and you have to believe you can attain it.
it sounds cheesy, but one of my goals through the weightloss program i'm working on is to give myself a 5 minute pep-talk every day. (stop laughing. i warned you it was cheesy.) and you know what? i think it works.
it's not always 5 consecutive minutes, and it's not like i stand in front of a mirror and flex my muscles and grunt things like "hoo-ah" or sing "i'm just a love machine" while making my "pecs" dance (10 points to the person that gets that reference!) i just consciously congratulate myself multiple times throughout the day. i think about how impressed i am with myself... whether it's about the fact that i'm building will power and able to resist temptations that would've brought me to my knees two years ago, or because i've had 14 glasses of water today, or that i've lost a whole quarter of my entire goal weightloss - it doesn't matter. if it's a step in the right direction, it's worth acknowledging and even bragging about.
and it totally pays off. when i get excited about my plain ol' drip coffee with non-fat milk and equal, just because i know i'm saving myself about 200 calories, i know the positive thinking is paying off. when i look in the mirror and notice that my face is clearly showing the weightloss and that my jaw isn't quite as "square" as it used to be, i know the positive thinking is paying off. when i want to look in windows as i walk by, not to see what's behind the window, but to check myself out - i know the positive thinking is paying off.
sure, it sounds a little vain - but you know what? maybe a little vanity is what i needed all this time. maybe a little vanity is what keeps us caring about how we look and feel and act and take care of ourselves.
i've long been aware of the benefits of positive thinking. truly believing in yourself, having confidence, and keeping a good attitude are crucial. no one was ever pushed into succeeding at anything - you have to want it for yourself, and you have to believe you can attain it.
it sounds cheesy, but one of my goals through the weightloss program i'm working on is to give myself a 5 minute pep-talk every day. (stop laughing. i warned you it was cheesy.) and you know what? i think it works.
it's not always 5 consecutive minutes, and it's not like i stand in front of a mirror and flex my muscles and grunt things like "hoo-ah" or sing "i'm just a love machine" while making my "pecs" dance (10 points to the person that gets that reference!) i just consciously congratulate myself multiple times throughout the day. i think about how impressed i am with myself... whether it's about the fact that i'm building will power and able to resist temptations that would've brought me to my knees two years ago, or because i've had 14 glasses of water today, or that i've lost a whole quarter of my entire goal weightloss - it doesn't matter. if it's a step in the right direction, it's worth acknowledging and even bragging about.
and it totally pays off. when i get excited about my plain ol' drip coffee with non-fat milk and equal, just because i know i'm saving myself about 200 calories, i know the positive thinking is paying off. when i look in the mirror and notice that my face is clearly showing the weightloss and that my jaw isn't quite as "square" as it used to be, i know the positive thinking is paying off. when i want to look in windows as i walk by, not to see what's behind the window, but to check myself out - i know the positive thinking is paying off.
sure, it sounds a little vain - but you know what? maybe a little vanity is what i needed all this time. maybe a little vanity is what keeps us caring about how we look and feel and act and take care of ourselves.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
more layouts anyone? yes, it's true... when it rains, it pours around here. i deprive you for months of anything interesting to look at, and then i bombard you with photos. it's a wonder you read at all!
(sorry about the photos - i'm getting increasingly lazy about photographing them and my scanner has gone "kerscrewey". i have yet to find a tried-and-true technique that results in good lighting, clear photos, and non-distorted shapes.)
{this is a re-scrap: these photos were used on an ancient design team project, and i'd originally used those yummy little glass "marblez" - but they kept falling off in the most inconvenient places - namely my scraproom floor. so i salvaged the photos, and tried again. i love this layout... pattern is autumn leaves. chipboard alpha is chip chatter by pressed petals.}
{this one's also a re-scrap: the photo was on one of my very first 8 1/2 x 11 layouts, but the design of the page didn't thrill me... so, i salvaged the photo and did it again. like this one much better. it's hard to tell because of the angle at which i took the photo, but the lower edge of the photo mat is slanting downward, and the title follows that slant, downhill. pattern is chloe's close, stickers are doodlebug designs... and my lovely subjects are my good friend allie and her boyfriend sam.}
last night we went to visit our friends dan & rebekah so that matt could help dan tear down their shed. i absolutely love hanging out with these two, and their little one, julia. matt and dan did their demolition, and rebekah and i visited. we had a lovely dinner, followed by smores around a firepit. there's something about hanging out with this couple - they're so encouraging, and great role models for us. rebekah's 5 months pregnant with their 2nd and is even game for a maternity photoshoot - i'm so excited to have that opportunity. i feel so blessed to count them among our friends.
(sorry about the photos - i'm getting increasingly lazy about photographing them and my scanner has gone "kerscrewey". i have yet to find a tried-and-true technique that results in good lighting, clear photos, and non-distorted shapes.)
{this is a re-scrap: these photos were used on an ancient design team project, and i'd originally used those yummy little glass "marblez" - but they kept falling off in the most inconvenient places - namely my scraproom floor. so i salvaged the photos, and tried again. i love this layout... pattern is autumn leaves. chipboard alpha is chip chatter by pressed petals.}
{this one's also a re-scrap: the photo was on one of my very first 8 1/2 x 11 layouts, but the design of the page didn't thrill me... so, i salvaged the photo and did it again. like this one much better. it's hard to tell because of the angle at which i took the photo, but the lower edge of the photo mat is slanting downward, and the title follows that slant, downhill. pattern is chloe's close, stickers are doodlebug designs... and my lovely subjects are my good friend allie and her boyfriend sam.}
last night we went to visit our friends dan & rebekah so that matt could help dan tear down their shed. i absolutely love hanging out with these two, and their little one, julia. matt and dan did their demolition, and rebekah and i visited. we had a lovely dinner, followed by smores around a firepit. there's something about hanging out with this couple - they're so encouraging, and great role models for us. rebekah's 5 months pregnant with their 2nd and is even game for a maternity photoshoot - i'm so excited to have that opportunity. i feel so blessed to count them among our friends.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
a little more...
please *rush* to your latest copy of PaperCrafts Magazine and *rip* it open to page 23. :D yep, that's me. a whole page for my project. wow. i love that. it's still very surreal to see *my* little ol' name in a magazine. and what's even cooler is bringing the magazine to work to show off to my non-scrapbooking friends, who are appropriately uber-impressed.
i wanted to share a few pictures of my latest project!! i'm still REALLY excited about this. a little background:
my grandfather was 20 years old when he was stationed in alaska, doing radio work for the army. after he settled in, my grandmother, about 18, flew up and they were married in a postoffice. a very humble life followed, my grandfather working odd shifts, my grandmother keeping their little trailer-home. during their nearly-two years in alaska, grandma wrote about 30 letters home to her mother and family. my great-grandmother, an amazing woman herself (another day, another blog entry) must have known that her future posterity would froth at the mouth at the thought of such an heirloom, because she kept these letters safe for years. my grandmother has since placed them in my care as it seems that i am being recognized as heir to my father's title of family historian.
ok, so - i was on a mission to preserve these puppies, and i was inspired by Ali E.'s book of letters from her mom. here are some bits and pieces of volume 1 of the end product:
{left - text says: letters from a young bride, far from home, on marriage, babies and every day life in alaska. 1954-1956. right - upclose, you can see bits of her handwriting through the holes.}
{each envelope features a bit of text - in my handwriting - summarizing the contents of the letter. each envelope holds 1-3 letter(s) (depending on thickness).}
{flowers are salvaged from gerbera bunches, at joanns (*enabler alert* bunches are on sale for $1 right now, and you get about 6-8 flowers on one bunch, times 2 layers of large flower petals, and one layer of small flower petals. needless to say, i'm swimming in daisies.) buttons are foo-fa-la "bag o' buttons". love these.}
{on the flap of each envelope, i've written the date(s) of the letter(s), as well as their location when they were written, as they lived in three different locations during their two years there.}
the pictures don't capture the bitty details that i love so much. the paper is Making Memories, Vintage Hip line. silver rub-ons, which you probably can't see, are 7gypsies, as is the album; white "memories" rub-on is Making Memories. pretty striped ribbon is American Crafts. fun little notecards are 7gypsies too.
and my favorite part of the whole project was reading the letters, one by one... i loved comments from my grandmother like "well, i thought it was the flu, but after a few weeks it didn't let up... went to the doctor and he didn't agree with my diagnosis, so ... you're going to be grandparents." i also enjoyed reading about how soda didn't come in bottles in alaska - only in cans; you could only iron until about 10am because afterwards, the electricity was too weak; laundry was done by hand; the cost of milk, bread, etc; hunting squirrels for fun; etc. this was such a great project.
thanks for letting me share. :)
i wanted to share a few pictures of my latest project!! i'm still REALLY excited about this. a little background:
my grandfather was 20 years old when he was stationed in alaska, doing radio work for the army. after he settled in, my grandmother, about 18, flew up and they were married in a postoffice. a very humble life followed, my grandfather working odd shifts, my grandmother keeping their little trailer-home. during their nearly-two years in alaska, grandma wrote about 30 letters home to her mother and family. my great-grandmother, an amazing woman herself (another day, another blog entry) must have known that her future posterity would froth at the mouth at the thought of such an heirloom, because she kept these letters safe for years. my grandmother has since placed them in my care as it seems that i am being recognized as heir to my father's title of family historian.
ok, so - i was on a mission to preserve these puppies, and i was inspired by Ali E.'s book of letters from her mom. here are some bits and pieces of volume 1 of the end product:
{left - text says: letters from a young bride, far from home, on marriage, babies and every day life in alaska. 1954-1956. right - upclose, you can see bits of her handwriting through the holes.}
{each envelope features a bit of text - in my handwriting - summarizing the contents of the letter. each envelope holds 1-3 letter(s) (depending on thickness).}
{flowers are salvaged from gerbera bunches, at joanns (*enabler alert* bunches are on sale for $1 right now, and you get about 6-8 flowers on one bunch, times 2 layers of large flower petals, and one layer of small flower petals. needless to say, i'm swimming in daisies.) buttons are foo-fa-la "bag o' buttons". love these.}
{on the flap of each envelope, i've written the date(s) of the letter(s), as well as their location when they were written, as they lived in three different locations during their two years there.}
the pictures don't capture the bitty details that i love so much. the paper is Making Memories, Vintage Hip line. silver rub-ons, which you probably can't see, are 7gypsies, as is the album; white "memories" rub-on is Making Memories. pretty striped ribbon is American Crafts. fun little notecards are 7gypsies too.
and my favorite part of the whole project was reading the letters, one by one... i loved comments from my grandmother like "well, i thought it was the flu, but after a few weeks it didn't let up... went to the doctor and he didn't agree with my diagnosis, so ... you're going to be grandparents." i also enjoyed reading about how soda didn't come in bottles in alaska - only in cans; you could only iron until about 10am because afterwards, the electricity was too weak; laundry was done by hand; the cost of milk, bread, etc; hunting squirrels for fun; etc. this was such a great project.
thanks for letting me share. :)
hello, tuesday.
it appears i've injured my back. i've got a history of lower-back problems, so it doesn't really surprise me, but when i woke up sunday morning with intense soreness and no apparent cause, i knew i'd be looking at a few weeks of discomfort. took yesterday off to haul myself into the dr to confirm my suspicions. oh well, at least it wasn't anything more expensive than that. spent the rest of the day at home, taking it easy, but bored out of my mind. the house had been cleaned over the weekend, i have no pictures to scrapbook (sad, but true), and i was less than interested in doing homework all day...
i'm at this awkward stage of being in-between scrapbooking projects: i've mostly completed my last project, and i have ideas for the next project, but no money for supplies. so i kind of putter around my studio, not really sure what to do with myself - *wanting* to do *something* but not actually accomplishing anything. sad, huh?
on the diet front, i've lost 20 lbs - and i'm 1 lb (you hear that?? one pound!!) away from my first goal (my wedding-day-weight). no clue how i'll reward myself yet - but wow, i'm so excited.
so that's me on a tuesday. looking forward to the weekend already - and even moreso to next week when my favorite scrapbooking buddy comes home from school for the summer.
(oh, and i've got some pictures to share later.)
i'm at this awkward stage of being in-between scrapbooking projects: i've mostly completed my last project, and i have ideas for the next project, but no money for supplies. so i kind of putter around my studio, not really sure what to do with myself - *wanting* to do *something* but not actually accomplishing anything. sad, huh?
on the diet front, i've lost 20 lbs - and i'm 1 lb (you hear that?? one pound!!) away from my first goal (my wedding-day-weight). no clue how i'll reward myself yet - but wow, i'm so excited.
so that's me on a tuesday. looking forward to the weekend already - and even moreso to next week when my favorite scrapbooking buddy comes home from school for the summer.
(oh, and i've got some pictures to share later.)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
long overdue...
i promised wedding photos - so here are a few of my favorites... definitely not the best, but what can you expect from a dark boat?
p.s. the cutie my cutie is holding is our neice, beth. she's a total ham for the camera too. love that.
p.s. the cutie my cutie is holding is our neice, beth. she's a total ham for the camera too. love that.
Friday, May 12, 2006
friday randomness...
i think that friday randomness is becoming a tradition. i don't usually have much to say about any one thing on fridays, so there we are.
wedding pictures tonight/tomorrow - i promise... (for whatever it's worth.) happy friday!
- i have *nothing* planned for tomorrow. hallelujah!
- my album of my grandmother's letters is almost finished. volume 1 is complete; volume 2 is in the works. i need a couple more sheets of paper - and perhaps a few more original ideas - before i can finish... hoping to have pictures up this weekend.
- i'm thinking about spending some serious quality time with charlotte (camera) tomorrow. there's an absolutely gorgeous cemetary in our neighborhood with a war memorial that should provide a good practicing environment. i really need to get out and shoot. i've gotta figure out why my new lens is giving me so much trouble before i aim it at another impatient subject.
- a year ago, i volunteered to build a scrapbook for a friend who'd taken a trip to spain, as a "test-run" to see if i liked the whole "scrapbooking-for-hire" gig. well, i've decided i don't like it quite as much as i thought i would - because the project sat on my shelf, half finished, hanging over my head, for - well - nearly a year. last week, i decided to do something about it: i bought the remaining supplies i needed (on double-punch-day at my LSS nonetheless) and finished the whole project in one afternoon. isn't it funny how we avoid stuff we think will take forever, and it ends up taking far less time than we thought? i'm so glad that i finished this project and that i get to give it to her. now for the quilt i volunteered to make for another friend... eeks. how do i get myself into these situations? clearly i need to have children so i can set up a sweat shop. (just kidding.)
- my itsy-bitsy neice is turning a year old next thursday. can't believe it's been a year.
- i'm really feeling the "mini-album" thing lately. after my "letters home" albums are done, i'm going to put together a mini to celebrate the list of 50 things i want to do before i die. (ooh, that sounds like a blog entry in itself!)
- my bestest girlfriend comes home from school for the summer in 10 days. YAY!!
- i've now lost a total of 18 pounds. :) DOUBLE YAY!! (thanks to the good people at Applebees for making losing weight with even my dining out habits possible. i can not say enough good stuff about their Weight Watchers menu.)
- i'm leaving you with a photo i kinda-sorta like. these are the lilacs that i filched from my (neighbor's) tree in my backyard. ;) possession is nine-tenths of the law, right?
wedding pictures tonight/tomorrow - i promise... (for whatever it's worth.) happy friday!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
please pass the cheese...
i need to whine.
i've been in a foul mood almost all day, mostly because of a disagreement between matt and i. hate those. hate that the most difficult situations are really created not by the big, hard things of life, but by the little tiny things that are worsened by our own stupid, selfish, sinful human nature. it sure makes coexistance a challenge, doesn't it?
i don't want this day to be just one of "those" days - where i blame the weather or the environment or the situation for my mood, call it a loss, eat some chocolate and go to bed early. i want to feel better and be okay. i want to feel happy with where we're at in life.
but i don't really know how to get to that point. maybe i'll just make a last-ditch effort and eat some chocolate.
i've been in a foul mood almost all day, mostly because of a disagreement between matt and i. hate those. hate that the most difficult situations are really created not by the big, hard things of life, but by the little tiny things that are worsened by our own stupid, selfish, sinful human nature. it sure makes coexistance a challenge, doesn't it?
i don't want this day to be just one of "those" days - where i blame the weather or the environment or the situation for my mood, call it a loss, eat some chocolate and go to bed early. i want to feel better and be okay. i want to feel happy with where we're at in life.
but i don't really know how to get to that point. maybe i'll just make a last-ditch effort and eat some chocolate.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
no photos yet
they're proofed, but apparently i forgot to upload them. silly kate. so you'll have to settle for some recent projects...
{10 years - love this layout - my best friend allie and me, about 4 years ago. january was the celebration of 10 years of friendship for us. papers are rhonna farrer (AL).}
{advent - when i got the star-shaped MOD (AL) christmas paper, in a rak from my mentor, i had no idea what i'd do with it but i knew it would have to be used. this layout came together quite nicely... tree pattern is from "Dena's Closet" - a rockin' collection of sorta-retro-y christmas patterns by colorbok.}
{e for edna - i have to share the journaling for this one because it sums up my feelings: "my great-grandmother, Edna Mae (Nichols) Harrington, with her husband Elmer, holding me as a baby. I didn't know her well when she was alive, but after she passed, I learned more about her spirit and life that made me regret not knowing her better. A bible school, student, a poet, a mother and grandmother with a great love for Jesus. I look forward to getting to know her in heaven." paper is chatterbox.}
and a few other projects i've been working on:
{this was our gift to matt's cousin & his new bride. paper is NRN Designs.}
{i made this the other day because i felt like just scrapbooking the photo and putting it away in an album wouldn't do justice to the memories. this is mocha, my childhood doggie, my mama's best friend and running buddy. we lost her a few years ago. the charms at the lower right, which you can't see very well, are a fire hydrant and a heart. sorry about the slightly fuzzy pictures. that's what i get for abusing my lens.}
{technically, not new... this was my memory keepsake project for the HOF contest... never got around to showing it off. papers are chatterbox.}
{10 years - love this layout - my best friend allie and me, about 4 years ago. january was the celebration of 10 years of friendship for us. papers are rhonna farrer (AL).}
{advent - when i got the star-shaped MOD (AL) christmas paper, in a rak from my mentor, i had no idea what i'd do with it but i knew it would have to be used. this layout came together quite nicely... tree pattern is from "Dena's Closet" - a rockin' collection of sorta-retro-y christmas patterns by colorbok.}
{e for edna - i have to share the journaling for this one because it sums up my feelings: "my great-grandmother, Edna Mae (Nichols) Harrington, with her husband Elmer, holding me as a baby. I didn't know her well when she was alive, but after she passed, I learned more about her spirit and life that made me regret not knowing her better. A bible school, student, a poet, a mother and grandmother with a great love for Jesus. I look forward to getting to know her in heaven." paper is chatterbox.}
and a few other projects i've been working on:
{this was our gift to matt's cousin & his new bride. paper is NRN Designs.}
{i made this the other day because i felt like just scrapbooking the photo and putting it away in an album wouldn't do justice to the memories. this is mocha, my childhood doggie, my mama's best friend and running buddy. we lost her a few years ago. the charms at the lower right, which you can't see very well, are a fire hydrant and a heart. sorry about the slightly fuzzy pictures. that's what i get for abusing my lens.}
{technically, not new... this was my memory keepsake project for the HOF contest... never got around to showing it off. papers are chatterbox.}
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
addendum a {to previous list}
- fresh lilacs, cut from a neighbors tree that is spilling over our fence, are adorning my living room. i love how their fragrance lifts the mood in the room.
- we're cleaning up the barbecue for the first grilling of the season tonight. yay for steak and veggie kabobs!!
- i'm looking forward to an episode of Grey's Anatomy tonight (recorded from last night), and the series finale of 7th Heaven, which i'll probably watch for old time's sake, even though i've been "out of the loop" for quite some time now...
- i *really* want to scrapbook right this very minute.
- my grandparents are approaching their 50th wedding anniversary. cool, huh? my mom and i have already discussed the fact that there will be a party to throw, and i'm already planning all of the wonderful paper products. yay!!
i like lists...
they seem to be working for me lately... i can share maximum quantity of information without overdoing it with details and segues, which means a shorter, more readable blog entry. (but not if i keep rambling on like this, so on with the list!)
hmm, thought i had more to say... guess i'll save it for later. happy monday!
- National Scrapbooking Day was somewhat uneventful from a scrapbooking standpoint, but lovely nonetheless. my favorite LSS offered double keytag punches on all purchases, which means i got $55 in punches for a $28 purchase. love that. filled up a keytag, so now i have $11 in "free" product to spend. (hear that, allie? hurry home. we have shopping to do.)
- it appears to be time to drop down a size, despite the "wedding of 1500 calories" i attended last night. ("eek" is all i have to say about *that*!)
- speaking of the wedding - matt's cousin & his bride - it was sooo nice. very simple, very elegant, aboard an argosy cruise. the food was tasty (see bullet point above), and i even got a fistful of good photos. can't wait to proof them tonight. will post a few later if my internet connection is behaving itself.
- went to a women's tea at church this weekend - so fun, and a great opportunity to get to know a few ladies a little better.
- having a blast with my latest scrapbooking project - a 7gypsies envelope album, decorated with the MM Vintage Hip papers, which will be holding about 30 letters i have, written by my grandmother, to her mom, as a young bride, in alaska with my grandfather. such an amazing piece of history, and i cherish these letters... i needed something to do justice to them.
- whatever made me think that 3 inch heels for 5 hours was a good idea? i'm paying for it today, like i've never paid for it before... i wore these shoes a ton last summer though, and loved them... all day on several occasions. i don't remember hurting this much.
hmm, thought i had more to say... guess i'll save it for later. happy monday!
Friday, May 05, 2006
"off the wagon" dreams...
i spent several months on atkins shortly before we were married. not long after giving up my normal diet (filled with sugar, bread, pasta, and all of the lovely things atkins frowns on), i began having very real, disturbing dreams. i'd be doing very well on the plan during the day - but at night, i'd dream about "falling off the wagon". in my dreams, i'd be eating pasta, or chocolate, or the thing i missed most: fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth french bread.
i'm sorry to say that i'm having those "off the wagon" dreams again. not so much focused on one type of food, but this week i've dreamt that i was eating a big meal, and i knew i shouldn't be. maybe it's guilt, maybe it's fear. i have no idea. but it's so weird. i wake up in a panic - mad at myself for giving into temptation, but then relieved that it was only a dream...
anybody good at deciphering the psychology of dreams? :)
i'm sorry to say that i'm having those "off the wagon" dreams again. not so much focused on one type of food, but this week i've dreamt that i was eating a big meal, and i knew i shouldn't be. maybe it's guilt, maybe it's fear. i have no idea. but it's so weird. i wake up in a panic - mad at myself for giving into temptation, but then relieved that it was only a dream...
anybody good at deciphering the psychology of dreams? :)
Thursday, May 04, 2006
thursday randomness...
i'm excited about a whole bunch of random stuff today, so i think i'll stick with a list:
sorry about a post revolving around food and weightloss... that's kinda my life right now!! did you catch LOST last night? oooh my goodness. so good. can't believe it. and a new CSI tonight!!
- strawberries and pineapple are falling into that rediculously cheap category at the grocery store. one of the many reasons i love this season.
- we had the tastiest dinner last night - check out the recipe: tortilla pie from gourmet magazine. totally fabulous and super easy. (and i substituted a can of diced tomatoes with jalepenos for the can of tomato sauce. highly recommended.)
- i'm slowly getting through my computer problems at home. hopefully i'll have most everything up and running tonight, because i'm aching to share some photos/layouts with you. :)
- i've lost another pound. love that.
- this is the guide/tool i'm using for my weightloss. really high-caliber, easy and fun to use tools... i've sort of made it a game for myself! and it's totally free. i love free.
- it's going to be 75 today. yay.
- now that hubster got the lawnmower working, i'm going to clean up the yard a bit this weekend (well, after he mows!). looking forward to cleaning up our patio table and chairs so we can eat on the deck.
- as a result of said weather report, i wore a thick cardigan to work so that i could forgo a jacket. too bad i'm roasting indoors now. oh well, good excuse to get out at lunch, i suppose!
sorry about a post revolving around food and weightloss... that's kinda my life right now!! did you catch LOST last night? oooh my goodness. so good. can't believe it. and a new CSI tonight!!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
just wanted to share this with you...
"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
~ John Quincy Adams
great quote, huh?
~ John Quincy Adams
great quote, huh?
mmmm, television...
ok, i'll admit it. i'm not ashamed. i'm one of the millions of americans that probably watches too much TV. but i'm okay with that, because i don't just turn it on and zone out: i only camp out in front of stuff that really interests me, and the rest of the time i just listen from another room.
(so now that i'm done justifying myself to myself... on with the point.) i love may. i love may ALMOST as much as i love september/october. i love may, though bittersweet, because of season finales. (and i love september/october because of season premieres. betchya didn't see that one coming, huh?)
so really, i'm going somewhere with this. i can't really choose just one favorite, because i love them all equally (and i'm not just saying that because i don't want to hurt their feelings), my "favs" are tied: Grey's Anatomy, CSI, LOST.
so i'm enjoying the 5-week runs of all-new episodes, and the promises of two-hour season finales. i'm also enjoying the hints and tidbits we get about the finales, for instance: CBS has put up a photo that holds clues to the final two episodes of the CSI season, and i've already scoured it. i see four elements of note - anybody see any more?
hmmm, i feel a layout idea coming on.
(so now that i'm done justifying myself to myself... on with the point.) i love may. i love may ALMOST as much as i love september/october. i love may, though bittersweet, because of season finales. (and i love september/october because of season premieres. betchya didn't see that one coming, huh?)
so really, i'm going somewhere with this. i can't really choose just one favorite, because i love them all equally (and i'm not just saying that because i don't want to hurt their feelings), my "favs" are tied: Grey's Anatomy, CSI, LOST.
so i'm enjoying the 5-week runs of all-new episodes, and the promises of two-hour season finales. i'm also enjoying the hints and tidbits we get about the finales, for instance: CBS has put up a photo that holds clues to the final two episodes of the CSI season, and i've already scoured it. i see four elements of note - anybody see any more?
hmmm, i feel a layout idea coming on.
an ode to applebee's... (sorta)
my apologies for my brief and random post yesterday. i'd give you more detail, but i fear i'd bore you away.
know what the key to "staying on track" with a healthier lifestyle is? anticipation.
i'm finding that to stick to my overall goals, i have to anticipate what's coming down the pipe. it takes some forethought, some planning. for instance: last night, we were missing a few ingredients for every idea i had for dinner, so we decided to go out. applebee's, of course - one of our favorites. i did my research beforehand, decided how many calories i had at my disposal, and then got acquainted with their Weight Watchers menu. good stuff, that. so, by the time we got to the restaurant, i had my face set for a certain type of dish, and the hardest part of ordering was deciding which yummy option to choose. but because i planned, i was able to ward off the temptation of my husband's nachos, and still enjoy a fabulous meal. (it really was good!!)
i have to record these things so that i can look back on them and remember my "successes". today, we're celebrating a birthday at work with one of my favorite yummies ever: danish kringle. and today is also coffee day. even though i drink non-fat mochas on coffee day, i knew there was no way my plan would allow for both a mocha and a piece of kringle, so i had to plan. i changed my game, ordering a super-big drip coffee instead - drinking half now, saving half for kringle-time, thus allowing myself a little wiggle room for a chunk of that tasty pastry.
darn, i'm proud of myself. can't wait to get on the scale on monday. you could almost call this fun!
know what the key to "staying on track" with a healthier lifestyle is? anticipation.
i'm finding that to stick to my overall goals, i have to anticipate what's coming down the pipe. it takes some forethought, some planning. for instance: last night, we were missing a few ingredients for every idea i had for dinner, so we decided to go out. applebee's, of course - one of our favorites. i did my research beforehand, decided how many calories i had at my disposal, and then got acquainted with their Weight Watchers menu. good stuff, that. so, by the time we got to the restaurant, i had my face set for a certain type of dish, and the hardest part of ordering was deciding which yummy option to choose. but because i planned, i was able to ward off the temptation of my husband's nachos, and still enjoy a fabulous meal. (it really was good!!)
i have to record these things so that i can look back on them and remember my "successes". today, we're celebrating a birthday at work with one of my favorite yummies ever: danish kringle. and today is also coffee day. even though i drink non-fat mochas on coffee day, i knew there was no way my plan would allow for both a mocha and a piece of kringle, so i had to plan. i changed my game, ordering a super-big drip coffee instead - drinking half now, saving half for kringle-time, thus allowing myself a little wiggle room for a chunk of that tasty pastry.
darn, i'm proud of myself. can't wait to get on the scale on monday. you could almost call this fun!
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
sometimes i feel like keeping up with my computer and all of it's problems is a full-time job in itself. hate the people that invent & perpetuate spyware and viruses. so cruel. so unnecessary. so totally crazy. finally reformatted my computer last night, to wipe off the garbage that had been plaguing it... and now i have a whole new set of issues. yay, me.
Monday, May 01, 2006
oh, and...
i am so excited about this.
i've been mulling around a mini-album idea in my head for a few weeks now, but have been putting it off because it will require me to dig through boxes of old memorabilia and crap... (not to describe memorabilia as being in the same category as crap, just saying that said boxes contain both memorabilia and crap).
anyway, i think that this idea and that contest go hand-in-hand. love ki memories, even though i sometimes have trouble using their products (them - very funky, me - not so much) but this is kind of a funky idea, so it'll work.
oh, and on a totally unrelated, but equally exciting note, i've now lost a total of 15.5 lbs. w00t.
i've been mulling around a mini-album idea in my head for a few weeks now, but have been putting it off because it will require me to dig through boxes of old memorabilia and crap... (not to describe memorabilia as being in the same category as crap, just saying that said boxes contain both memorabilia and crap).
anyway, i think that this idea and that contest go hand-in-hand. love ki memories, even though i sometimes have trouble using their products (them - very funky, me - not so much) but this is kind of a funky idea, so it'll work.
oh, and on a totally unrelated, but equally exciting note, i've now lost a total of 15.5 lbs. w00t.
observations from 2a.m.
our 24 event at church went really well, and getting up at 1:15a.m. wasn't even as bad as i thought it would be. (well, ok, it was at first, but then i got over it.) i learned a few things, though:
so that's what i learned. i was also reminded that we serve an incredibly good, gracious and empowering God, and i'm really thankful for each of the worship and fellowship events we took part in this weekend.
on the scrapbooking side of things, i think i've come to the conclusion that i'm limited one fabulous layout per day. for some reason, i can create one stunningly incredible layout (confidence is good, right?), but anything i create after that layout, that day, will be crap. that's it. as the good people at the Washington State Lottery say, know your limit. so i guess that's my limit. i've decided that from now on, i have to be super inspired to attempt exceeding that limit.
and i've also decided something else about my scrapbooking... sometimes, i'm going to throw away a page that i created. and i'm okay with that. are you horrified? because there always seems to be a shortage of photos around my life, i've taken to scrapping some photos/events more than once, from different aspects/perspectives. so what if i dump the extras if i decide later that i really dislike them? oh, and i've even tossed a few layouts of photos that i DIDN'T duplicate, but i salvaged the photos and re-scrapped them. so there. rules be damned.
my contraband external hard drive arrived on friday. let the attitude re-adjustment begin! tonight, i'll sling over all of my data and photos and layout scans, and then i'm going to wipe my belligerent little laptop clean. i'm so excited by the prospect of having a clean slate with which to work.
gotta run - coffee time! happy monday!
- there is a line at the starbucks drive-thru, even at 1:30a.m.
- there is a line at the starbucks drive-thru at 1:30a.m. because they apparently train their new-hires at that hour. and no, i'm not kidding. she was, indeed, new.
- i am less than amused by 15 minute waits for three cars in front of you at starbucks at 1:30a.m., especially when i haven't had my coffee yet... which is why we were there in the first place.
- my husband is a little more sensitive to caffeine than we thought. he was so wired after we got done with our 2a.m.-3a.m. shift, (initiated by a tall peppermint mocha, and continually fueled by a steady stream of 40 ounces of MDX over the course of about 8 hours) that he drove me home and then went back to the church for another shift, and promptly stayed up the rest of the night, and all day saturday, totalling 36 hours from the time he got up for work friday morning, to the time he crashed to "rest his eyes for a few" saturday evening. maniac.
so that's what i learned. i was also reminded that we serve an incredibly good, gracious and empowering God, and i'm really thankful for each of the worship and fellowship events we took part in this weekend.
on the scrapbooking side of things, i think i've come to the conclusion that i'm limited one fabulous layout per day. for some reason, i can create one stunningly incredible layout (confidence is good, right?), but anything i create after that layout, that day, will be crap. that's it. as the good people at the Washington State Lottery say, know your limit. so i guess that's my limit. i've decided that from now on, i have to be super inspired to attempt exceeding that limit.
and i've also decided something else about my scrapbooking... sometimes, i'm going to throw away a page that i created. and i'm okay with that. are you horrified? because there always seems to be a shortage of photos around my life, i've taken to scrapping some photos/events more than once, from different aspects/perspectives. so what if i dump the extras if i decide later that i really dislike them? oh, and i've even tossed a few layouts of photos that i DIDN'T duplicate, but i salvaged the photos and re-scrapped them. so there. rules be damned.
my contraband external hard drive arrived on friday. let the attitude re-adjustment begin! tonight, i'll sling over all of my data and photos and layout scans, and then i'm going to wipe my belligerent little laptop clean. i'm so excited by the prospect of having a clean slate with which to work.
gotta run - coffee time! happy monday!
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